First cargo, now crew – the uber-modern "space taxi"
known as the Dragon V2 is ready for passengers. At an unveiling ceremony
yesterday, complete with smoke effects and coloured lights, SpaceX CEO
Elon Musk gave the world its first glimpse of the upgraded Dragon
spacecraft.
known as the Dragon V2 is ready for passengers. At an unveiling ceremony
yesterday, complete with smoke effects and coloured lights, SpaceX CEO
Elon Musk gave the world its first glimpse of the upgraded Dragon
spacecraft.
NASA is already using an unpiloted version of Dragon to send cargo to the International Space Station and return valuable gear and scientific experiments. But Musk has always wanted Dragon to become a reusable ride for astronauts.
The new vehicle has simple silvery walls,
seats for up to seven passengers and a set of flatscreen control panels.
The spacecraft can dock itself to the ISS without help from the space station's robotic arm. But the most radical aspect of the redesign is the landing gear, which will allow astronauts to set the spacecraft down on solid ground.
seats for up to seven passengers and a set of flatscreen control panels.
The spacecraft can dock itself to the ISS without help from the space station's robotic arm. But the most radical aspect of the redesign is the landing gear, which will allow astronauts to set the spacecraft down on solid ground.
Space chopper
The current version of Dragon deploys a
parachute as it descends and splashes down in the ocean. Dragon V2
instead comes with a set of incredibly powerful SuperDraco engines,
each capable of producing more than 70,000 newtons of thrust. The
engines will allow astronauts to better manoeuvre in space as well as
control their trajectory for re-entry.
parachute as it descends and splashes down in the ocean. Dragon V2
instead comes with a set of incredibly powerful SuperDraco engines,
each capable of producing more than 70,000 newtons of thrust. The
engines will allow astronauts to better manoeuvre in space as well as
control their trajectory for re-entry.
"You'll be able to land anywhere on Earth with the
accuracy of a helicopter," Musk said during the event at SpaceX
headquarters in Hawthorne, California. The engines are encased in
protective shells, and they are set up in pairs so that if one fails,
the other can give a boost of power to compensate.
accuracy of a helicopter," Musk said during the event at SpaceX
headquarters in Hawthorne, California. The engines are encased in
protective shells, and they are set up in pairs so that if one fails,
the other can give a boost of power to compensate.
